


Inkless

by Kinococha



Series: Fleurmione One-shots [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: 76, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Day 3: jealousy, F/F, FW2021.1, Fleurmione Week 2021, Hogwarts Fourth Year, Hogwarts Setting, Love is funny to write, One-Shot, Romance, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 01:48:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30098448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kinococha/pseuds/Kinococha
Summary: Soulmates are a human concept. Fleur wanted nothing more than to get carried away by fate and find the perfect person for her. The problem? Humans with creature blood can't get words on their skin.
Relationships: Fleur Delacour/Hermione Granger
Series: Fleurmione One-shots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2165913
Comments: 5
Kudos: 180
Collections: Fleurmione Week 2021.1





	Inkless

**Author's Note:**

> I have to thank my beta for continuing to put up with the crazy plots I write half asleep. Thank you Cloud901 I appreciate your hard work!

The idea of soulmates was a distant concept to Fleur. Why do you ask? Well, to start, it was a reality only known to humans. It didn't matter if they were a muggle or a wizard, when a person finds their soulmate the first words that they said to each other would appear somewhere on their skin. First words, a constant mark, a glimpse of the connection that souls shared, and the only remnant of the magic world that Muggles were aware of. It's a fucked up system as it appears to be. 

Research in the area has shown that the phenomenon was more related to soul resonance than to fate itself. The words were just a physical manifestation of two compatible souls that met. Still, the dreamers liked to say that they were calling for each other. Humans were truly odd creatures with their concept of love. Although, soulmates didn't have to be necessarily the romantic type. 

How did they find out which one was which? Did they talk openly about their feelings in sincere and mature adult conversation? No, Magic found a way to give humans the easy answer for that, so they didn't need to worry their minds about it. Red words for romantic, blue words for platonic. Yes, they came in a color scheme. 

Even though she was mostly human, the love of a soulmate was a foreign feeling for Fleur. She liked to look at the vibrant red words written on her father's wrist. Her little self loved to trace the letters with her tiny fingers, always asking him to tell her the story of the mark. The only mark her parents would ever share. Because, as I said at the beginning, soulmates were a human notion. Magical creatures didn't have words on their skin. 

The lack of words didn't mean that they are unable to love. No, love was a universal force present in every being on Earth. Love knows no race, gender, or social class. It sees the soul and resonates with it. 

Pureblood wizards used this as an argument against mixed-race marriages. _They are half breeds, unlikeable, why should they even be allowed to use a wand? To live among us?_ A bunch of foolish words coming from small minded people who couldn't accept that creatures just love differently than humans. 

Fleur remembered the conversation that she and her mother had when her small self came home sobbing because she would never have a soulmate like everyone else. Her mother wiped her tears away and sat with her daughter on the porch while explaining that she wasn't alone. 

"Wizards are not good at understanding their heart." Apolline explained while brushing the girl's blond hair "They need to have the answers already chewed up for them to be able to understand themselves. It is the easiest way for them, my child, but not the only one."

"But if I don't have words how will I know for sure?" 

"You feel." Apolline took the girl's hands and directed them to the spot on her chest where her heart was located "Here, you learn to listen to it. When your heart starts beating for another person, that will be the moment you're sure. The undeniable feeling of love will run through your whole body like fresh air filling your lungs." Fleur focused on every word that her mother was saying as if this was the most important knowledge she would carry within herself for the rest of her life "Sometimes it takes time for the feelings to settle, but believe me Fleur your heart will be able to tell when you fall in love with another being." 

Hope filled the little blonde's heart. She wouldn't be alone like she previously thought, even without the words to guide her. Fleur just hoped that her soulmate would at least be human. It'd be easier, faster, and above all, she would be sure her love was the one. After all, who would reject the opportunity to speak with their soulmate? 

________________

Experience is the mother of bitterness. The now seventeen-year-old Fleur couldn't look at her inkless body without feeling an ache in her heart. Hope was the last to die but no one had ever said hope was an immortal being. 

Fleur's mother said her heart would know. That she wouldn't need the words. Her soulmate would come to her. Lies. A bunch of lies. Sweet little tales made up to comfort the naive little girl she was. Fleur's classmates were right, she wasn't made for love. Because despite all of her past doubts, Fleur's heart did know. 

It found repose within the warm brown eyes of a shy Gryffindor girl. Who would have thought? Fleur Delacour, the Beauxbatons' champion, was head over heels for Hermione Granger. And It wasn't some sort of love at first sight, instantaneous, world-crushing, or anything like that. It actually started with a book. 

Fleur needed a book for her Charms' class and the only place that had such a book available was at the library in that infernal castle. Perhaps she was being way more grumpy than usual because she was forced to put up with Hogwarts' cold halls and the inconvenient students from three different schools. Had no one ever met someone with creature blood in this castle? Didn't they have a half-giant and half-leprechaun professor teaching? 

Fleur groaned as she crossed the library doors. No student, not even the most susceptible to her thrall, dared to approach her in this state. She was so pissed, that some second year's could have swear they saw smoke coming out of her hair. Fleur rummaged through the shelves in search of the book to no avail. She had almost given up, and was seriously considering hitting her head on the wall a few times, when she caught a glimpse of the title she needed. A Hogwarts student, a girl, who must have been a few years younger than Fleur herself, was reading carefree in the corner of the library. Fleur wouldn't have noticed the girl if she hadn't been holding the only copy of the damn book. 

"Excuse me." Fleur coughed trying to get the girl's attention "Is it going to take long for you to finish this book?" She could still be pissed, but the voice she called her conscience would not allow her to be rude to the innocent girl who looked at her in surprise. 

Their eyes met for half a second before the girl turned away. She got up from her chair, handed Fleur the book, and left without saying a word. Looking at the cover in her hands, Fleur had no idea what had just happened. Of course, the girl could've been affected by her thrall, but that didn't seem to be the case. Not when she didn’t try to win Fleur’s attention like everyone else. Was she just really shy? Did Fleur do something wrong? Who was that girl?

She had her answer when sat down for dinner that night. Scanning the heads in the Great Hall, Fleur found the bushy hair she was looking for since earlier. She was sitting next to the Potter boy, the unfortunate fourth champion. From the way the two talked, they seemed to be good friends. Was she also a fourth year? She looked so mature. The girl had another book with her, pointing excitedly to the pages while talking to the boy who lived. _She is kind of cute._

"Her name is Hermione." a voice at Fleur's side said, "Hermione Granger, if you are wondering." 

"Hum?" Fleur looked away from the Gryffindor table and came across a blonde girl with radish earrings. 

"Your gaze lingered at that point for too long." She said smiling as she pointed at the Hermione girl "I thought you were going to appreciate this piece of information." 

Fleur shook her head, amused by the girl's perception and thanked the other blonde. At least now she had a name to call the curious girl. 

After this, Fleur met Hermione a few times at the library. The girl seemed to be very dedicated to her studies and enjoyed the calm environment the room provided. Fleur tried to talk to her to thank her for the book, but Hermione seemed to do a great job of avoiding talking to the blonde. The strange part was that her behavior was not even a little bit hostile towards Fleur. Hermione just seems to be really shy. 

Fleur put those thoughts in the back of her mind as she prepared for the first task. Mr. Ollivander was intrigued by the magic core of her wand. It seems that the British liked to limit themselves to phoenixes, dragons, and unicorns. Arrogant fools, not every magical creature likes to subject itself to human touch. Not that she could blame them, humans had no respect, especially when they wanted to get something they are denied. When Mr. Ollivander questioned the decision behind the Veela's hair core, Fleur didn't think twice about admitting her ancestry. 

_Be proud. Never lower your head to those who think less of you._ Her mother's words internalized within her served as guidance for her actions. Even after her deplorable performance in facing the fire beast, she remained steadfast. Even when she felt bad about it. A surprising outcome from this situation, however, was that Hermione finally started talking to her. 

It started with a small compliment about the blonde's handwriting one afternoon when the two were in the library. Amazingly, when Fleur sat at the same table as the girl, she didn't run away again. It was refreshing to see the brunette trying to get out of her shy cute shell. In a matter of a few days, they managed to get past from the small talk and move towards becoming friends. 

See, Fleur was not to blame for her sore fate. Hermione was just too easy to love. The way she talked excitedly about classes, how the girl cared about her friends, the smile she gave to Fleur every time she learned a new piece of information. In fact, Fleur couldn't point out when everything started to happen. One afternoon she was focused on researching the egg clue and in the next hour her notebook was covered with small drawings of brown eyes. That night Fleur stayed awake looking at her ceiling with her heart refusing to slow down. Because the heart finally had known. She knew. And that's where the problem was. Hermione wasn't Fleur's soulmate. 

______________

It was her personal hell when they announced the Yule Ball. As she was one of the champions, Fleur was obliged to attend… with a partner. For the first time, there was someone who she wanted to invite, someone who understood her that wouldn't be drooling all over her in a thrall induced trance. But she couldn't. 

It wasn't such a big taboo to date people who were not your soulmate. Statistically, not everyone would find theirs during their lifetime. Many couples lived happily without all the soul resonating effect on their skin. What was the problem then? Besides the fact that Fleur was a big mess and couldn't ask a girl out for the life of her, someone had already invited Hermione. 

Fleur was there by her side when Krum had the courage to say the words she couldn't. Hermione looked indecisive for a moment, biting her bottom lip thoughtfully. _Merlin, she was beautiful._ Fleur could not look at the scene, the blonde turned away and remained focused on her potions book. At least pretended to focus while being consumed by homicidal thoughts. Her knuckles slowly turned white with the pressure she put on them. 

She had to repeat to herself that they were friends, and nothing more. Fleur was being reminded of this fact when she saw the Bulgarian champion smiling at the positive response. Never had a smile served so well for stabbing her in the chest. They were friends, and that... had to be enough. At least Hermione would be present in her life. Even though it wasn't in the way she hoped. 

Reluctantly she accepted someone else's invitation because she had to open up the dance. A Roger something boy. He had the beauty of an avid athlete, and the brain of a mosquito. Nothing compared to her Hermione... Hers? Fleur had to get those thoughts out of her head. Hermione didn't belong to her, even though Fleur's heart belonged to the girl. There were no words, and that was more than proof that Fleur didn't deserve to be loved back. 

Fleur watches as Viktor's arms lead Hermione across the room. How happy she looked to be sitting next to the Quidditch player during dinner. How easy it would be to pretend it was only the two of them at the table. Hermione was just so beautiful, stunning, and heartbreaking. Her delicate blue dress showed her almost completely bare arms and sharp collarbone. A wrist band covered Hermione's left forearm. Fleur hadn't been able to get the bitter taste out of her mouth since she noticed it earlier in the evening. She knew what that thing was hiding. 

The dance was a blur. Only Fleur's muscle memory was able to keep her spinning around the room. As soon as the first song came to an end and the rest of the students were able to join the champions, Fleur left Roger alone at the dance floor. The blonde needed to breathe. She didn't know how much more anguish her chest still could take if she had stayed in that room. 

She headed for the gardens, an empty bench was waiting for her. As if it knew she needed to be left alone. Well, the bench apparently knew but Fleur had barely sat down to start crying her heart out when she heard a voice coming from behind. 

"Fleur? Are you ok?" 

_Why? Why out of all people that could appear, that wonderful voice had to belong to her?_

Fleur didn't turn to face Hermione, she didn't have the strength to pretend to smile again. Not even for her. 

"I'm fine Hermione." Fleur tried to take the bitterness out of her words. She didn't succeed. 

Hermione looked at her with an apprehensive look. Restless fingers fidgeted with the edge of her dress, trying to calm down her nerves. Fleur didn't see any of this, she continued to face the dark night instead of the other girl's face. 

"Fleur…"

"Hermione, please just leave me alone for now." Her plea was nothing more than a faint whisper. Fleur wanted to scream instead.

"Are you mad at me?" Fleur could hear the girl's voice trembling. 

The last thing the blonde wanted to do was cause Hermione pain because of her stupid feelings and look at what she was doing right now. Fleur truly didn't deserve love. 

"No." _No at you. Never at you_ "I'm mad at myself." Fleur decided to confess the truth. 

"Why?" Why of all the questions she could choose, Hermione had to ask the one that Fleur didn't want to answer. 

"Please don't make me say it." She sighed weakly. 

"Fleur." Hermione's voice was close, tentative. Fleur knew the girl had sat on the bench next to her. So far, and so close at the same time "Fleur, please you are my friend if something is distressing you this much I… I'm here, I will listen to you without any sort of judgment." 

"That's exactly the problem." Fleur couldn't take it anymore. Hermione's insistence had reached her breaking point. Finally, she turned to the girl, her eyes covered with tears as she admitted her deepest secret "I don't want to be just your friend. I'm selfish Hermione! I thought I could handle just being your friend, but it hurts, it hurts so much Hermione." Fleur was sobbing, it seemed that now that she was saying the words out loud she couldn’t stop anymore "Because for the first time I can see myself with someone else, I fell for you Hermione my heart longs for you and only you. It's so unfair." Fleur was looking deep at those brown eyes, she wanted to reach for the other girl's hand to feel her touch the girl so badly "I wish you had my words." the desperate howling sigh of a fallen animal.

This was not how she imagined confessing. Much less for a petty reason like jealousy. Fleur knew that she had ruined everything, who was she to play with fate? A fool. She would have run if it weren't for unwavering arms holding her in a firm embrace. 

"Please don't run, not when you've just said everything I wanted to hear from you." Hermione whispered in her ear.

Fleur wasn't being rejected? Hermione wanted to hear Fleur blurt out her feelings like a fool? What was happening? 

Her head rested on the blonde's neck. The potion she had used to smooth her curls was beginning to lose its effect. Fleur could feel the heat of the other girl's lips so close to her throat. It was getting really hard to swallow. 

"Hermione…" A delicate finger dropped on her lips, preventing the blonde from continuing to speak. 

"I let you talk, so please Fleur, listen to me now." Hermione still hadn't lifted her head from Fleur's neck, she seemed to be building up the courage to admit her truth now "I have your words, I had them since your first day at the castle." 

Fleur's breath got caught in her throat. She was prepared for the worst kind of rejections, but she had her feelings reciprocated? She was Hermione's soulmate? What was in that punch?

"Show me." it was more of a request than an order. 

Not that she didn't trust Hermione, but Fleur needed something physical to steady herself. To stop her mind from going completely insane. 

Hermione nodded, understanding Fleur's desperate request. She moved away from the blonde and removed the wrist band that covered her forearm. Fleur couldn't believe her eyes. In delicate cursive handwriting, the first thing she said to the girl was written in bright red colors. 

_Excuse me, are you wanting the Bouillabaisse?_

Fleur started to trace the letters with her finger. Hermione closed her eyes and let herself be carried away by the sensation of Fleur's skin over hers. For a moment, none of the girls said anything, the two were still processing the information. 

"Why didn't you tell me until now?" Fleur's blue eyes were fixed on Hermione's face. 

"Because." Hermione sighs "Because I thought it was unrequited." 

Hermione received the mark first and Fleur never made any move to approach the girl again. Could you blame her for thinking her soulmate didn't want her? 

"That's why you always run when I try to talk with you at the library?" Her voice carried so much tenderness that it was becoming difficult for Hermione to breathe. 

Fleur moved her hand to touch one of Hermione's cheeks. Leaving small circles with her thumb at the soft skin. Hermione just leaned into the touch. 

"Yes." The younger witch said softly.

"What changed?" _For you to start talking to me._

"Before the first task, Harry heard you telling Ollivander about being a quarter Veela. I didn't know that humans with creature's blood didn't get words." Fleur held the girl's other cheek. Their foreheads were now touching "I researched, I learned that you would have no words to guide you, and thought that if I spent more time with you maybe… I could get to know you better and maybe you would like me." 

"It worked. I like you, Hermione." Fleur let out a relieved laugh "How couldn't I, you are everything I always wanted in a soulmate." 

"I didn't think you had such strong feelings for me, that's why I accepted Viktor's invitation to the ball." Fleur let out a low growl hearing the Bulgarian's name "At least this way I would be sitting at the table with you." Hermione finished trying to appease the blonde's jealousy display. 

"You can sit with me anytime you want." Fleur kissed the girl's forehead and looked her in the eye "You know my feelings and I know yours. Where do you want us to go from here, my love?" 

"I would like to take you out on a date, and maybe call you my girlfriend." 

Fleur started to leave small kisses on Hermione's face. Her forehead, cheeks, the tip of her nose, everywhere except her lips, as the blonde repeated the same word over and over. 

"Yes." 

Fleur never needed words to guide her. Her heart knew that Hermione was the right person for her.

**Author's Note:**

> The idea for this fic was Fleur being jealous of herself, and I squeeze the soulmate prompt to because why not? Try to do a little bit different from the others with Hermione being the one knowing about the bond. Hope it wasn't just another confusing lucid dream :v  
> .  
> Edit: Voting poll for a multi-chapter fic of my fleurmione week works (I'm counting only the Kudos of the day :p ) 
> 
> Day one - 73  
> Day two - 51


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